Chapter Eleven
These shoes were not made with walking in mind – I don't even think these shoes were made with standing in mind, and yet here I am, walking up the hill to get home.
I just needed to get out of the house today so I took myself for a walk into town, to investigate the shops on Main Street, and to just see the sea really, because the novelty of being back at the coast hasn’t worn off yet.
I'm just making that last push to get myself up the big hill in my inappropriate shoes when I hear ringing from inside my bag. Happy to have a rest, I perch my bum on someone's garden wall and examine my phone. It's a number I don't recognise, but after just a moment of hesitation, I answer it with an overly cheery hello.
‘Hi Leah,’ a man’s voice says.
‘Speaking’ I say, rather formally, because it’s a familiar voice.
‘It’s Si,’ he tells me.
Oh, obviously, because I only gave him my number last night. Who else was it going to be? For a second I thought it was Mr L, because of course I did. Idiot.
‘Si, of course, hello,’ I say brightly. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m great, cheers,’ he replies. ‘How’s the head?’
‘Better than it was earlier, when I woke up to my parents having a jam-making session.’
‘Is that…?’
‘Not a euphemism,’ I quickly insist.
‘Glad to hear it,’ he replies. ‘Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight?’
‘Oh,’ I say, and then I go quiet, because obviously I’m terrible at this stuff.
‘I’m cooking,’ he continues. ‘Are you going to make me eat alone?’
I smile to myself.
‘Okay, sure, I would love that,’ I tell him.
‘Great, I’ll message you a time, and my address, and I’ll see you later,’ he says, the excitement evident in his voice.
‘Fab, see you soon,’ I tell him. ‘Can I bring anything?’
‘Just yourself,’ he tells me.
I feel like I can hear him smiling. I’m smiling too. I think I have a date with Si.